Managing storage resources in a dispersed storage network

Abstract

A method for updating storage resources in a dispersed storage network operates to determine a storage utilization factor for a storage pool that includes a set of storage resources when old storage resources are being reallocated to new storage resources. The method continues by denying write type requests during reallocation when the storage utilization factor is at or above a threshold and processing write type requests when the storage utilization factor is at or below the threshold. When the reallocation is complete the storage utilization factor is recalculated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing updating of storage resources in a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method comprises:
 determining a storage utilization factor for a storage pool that includes a set of storage resources wherein the set of storage resources includes one or more old storage resources included in a reallocation and one or more new resources, wherein an old storage resource is a storage resource scheduled for at least one of replacement or removal; 
 commencing transferring of a first set of encoded data slices from one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources to one or more new storage resources of the set of storage resources, wherein a data object is segmented into a plurality of data segments, wherein a data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with dispersed error encoding parameters including an encoding function, a data segmenting protocol, and per data segment encoding values; 
 while transferring the first set of encoded data slices, receiving a write type request addressing the old storage resources, wherein the write type request is associated with a second set of encoded data slices; 
 in response to the storage utilization factor being above a first threshold, denying the write type request, at least until the transferring of the first set of encoded data slices is complete; and 
 in response to the storage utilization factor being at or below the first threshold, processing the write type request to store a second set of encoded data slices in the one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources, 
 wherein the storage utilization factor is a maximum usable capacity for the storage pool such that all vaults, containers, and other entities using the storage pool are subject to the maximum usable capacity from initiation of the reallocation until the reallocation is complete, and further comprising updating the storage utilization factor once the reallocation is complete. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storage utilization factor is determined at substantially the time the transferring of a first set of encoded data slices from one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources to one or more new storage resources of the set of storage resources commences. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storage utilization factor is determined before the transferring of a first set of encoded data slices from one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources to one or more new storage resources of the set of storage resources commences. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storage resources of the set of storage resources are one or more storage units. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the storage units periodically report a current storage capacity of each respective storage unit to one or more processors associated with the DSN. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storage resources of the set of storage resources are one or more memory devices of one or more storage units. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprises:
 when the storage utilization factor is above a first threshold, denying the write type request by instructing the one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources to deny the write type request. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprises:
 when the storage utilization factor is above a first threshold, denying the write type request by ignoring, by one or more processors associated with the DSN, wherein the one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources does not receive the write type request. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the maximum useable capacity is based at least partly on a current utilization of individual memory devices in the storage pool. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the denying the write type request comprises denying an overwrite request. 
     
     
       11. A computer readable memory comprises:
 a first memory element that stores operational instructions that, when executed by a computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN), causes the computing device to:
 determine a storage utilization factor for a storage pool that includes a set of storage resources wherein the set of storage resources includes one or more old storage resources included in a reallocation and one or more new resources, wherein an old storage resource is a storage resource scheduled for at least one of replacement or removal; 
 commence transfer of a first set of encoded data slices from one or more of the old storage resources of the set of storage resources to one or more of the new storage resources of the set of storage resources, wherein a data object is segmented into a plurality of data segments, wherein a data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded in accordance with dispersed error encoding parameters including an encoding function, a data segmenting protocol, and per data segment encoding values; 
 while transferring the first set of encoded data slices, receive a write type request addressing the old storage resources, wherein the write type request is associated with a second set of encoded data slices; 
 in response to the storage utilization factor being above a first threshold, deny the write type request at least until the transferring of the first set of encoded data slices from one or more of the old storage resources of the set of storage resources to one or more of the new storage resources of the set of storage resources is complete; and 
 in response to the storage utilization factor being at or below the first threshold, process the write type request to store a second set of encoded data slices in the one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources, 
 wherein the storage utilization factor is a maximum usable capacity for the storage pool such that all vaults, containers, and other entities using the storage pool are subject to the maximum usable capacity from initiation of the reallocation until the reallocation is complete, and further comprising updating the storage utilization factor once the reallocation is complete. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The computer readable memory of  claim 11 , wherein the storage utilization factor is determined at substantially the time the transferring of a first set of encoded data slices from one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources to one or more new storage resources of the set of storage resources commences. 
     
     
       13. The computer readable memory of  claim 11 , wherein the storage utilization factor is determined before the transferring of a first set of encoded data slices from one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources to one or more new storage resources of the set of storage resources commences. 
     
     
       14. The computer readable memory of  claim 11 , wherein the storage resources of the set of storage resources are one or more storage units. 
     
     
       15. The computer readable memory of  claim 14 , wherein the storage units periodically report a current storage capacity of each respective storage unit to one or more processors associated with the DSN. 
     
     
       16. The computer readable memory of  claim 11 , wherein the storage resources of the set of storage resources are one or more memory devices of one or more storage units. 
     
     
       17. The computer readable memory of  claim 11 , further comprises:
 when the storage utilization factor is above a first threshold, deny the write type request by instructing the one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources to deny the write type request. 
 
     
     
       18. The computer readable memory of  claim 11 , further comprises:
 when the storage utilization factor is above a first threshold, denying the write type request by ignoring, by one or more processors associated with the DSN, wherein the one or more old storage resources of the set of storage resources does not receive the write type request. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer readable memory of  claim 11 , wherein the maximum useable capacity is based at least partly on a current utilization of individual memory devices in the storage pool. 
     
     
       20. The computer readable memory of  claim 11 , wherein the denying the write type request comprises denying an edit request.